I love finding photos of people doing crafts, fiberwork, woodwork, etc. Here’s some of my favorite vintage photos of people (mostly women) knitting! The time period for each photo varies, but it’s generally between the 1910s-1940s.
I’m sharing them here on Old Fashioned Finds as web friendly (lower quality) images, but if you’re looking for full-sized 300 DPI photos that you can download immediately, I have a bundle available for purchase on my Payhip store here.
Remember, these are in the public domain in the United States, which most likely means they’re in the public domain where YOU are, too! You can use them for anything, including art, collage, commercial purposes, etc. For more about the public domain, check out this guide from Standford.
Okay, onto the gallery! Click on an image to see it larger. There’s a source list at the bottom where you can find the original photo on the Library of Congress website as well. Enjoy!
Vintage Knitting Photos
Sources
Not in order of how the gallery is shown, just fyi.
- Comfort Room, Equitable Bldg. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ggbain.23914
- Knitting https://www.loc.gov/item/2016886384/
- Knitting bee https://www.loc.gov/item/2014707543/
- Five girls knitting, Albania https://www.loc.gov/item/92521956/
- Child with knitting https://www.loc.gov/item/2017678502/
- Knitting for Daddy https://www.loc.gov/item/2017670270/
- Fort Kent, Maine (vicinity). Three of Leonard Gagnon’s daughters knitting https://www.loc.gov/item/2017823550/
- East Montpelier, Vermont. Mrs. Myrtie Ormsbee, widowed mother of farmer Charles Ormsbee, knitting sweaters for the Red Cross https://www.loc.gov/item/2017866493/
- Moreno Valley, Colfax County, New Mexico. A rancher’s daughter knitting during a poker party at George Turner’s ranch https://www.loc.gov/item/2017846933/
- The dropped stitch https://www.loc.gov/item/2003675480/
- Lovell, Mrs. J.M. https://www.loc.gov/item/2016696560/
- At Broad Channel – a Family Group https://www.loc.gov/item/2014699784/
- Yvonne Laurance is knitting a pair of socks to send to some of her American Godfathers, the men of Company C, 1st Battalion of the 20th Engineers. Yvonne is a refugee from Lorraine, twice evacuated from bombarded villages, and she believes with all her heart that the “bons soldats Americaine” are going to win back her home for France. The American Red Cross administers the funds for the maintenance of all the children adopted by the American troops https://www.loc.gov/item/2017667991/
- Ruth Stevens age 6 years, Skagway, Bank of Alaska, Piers https://www.loc.gov/item/2017667715/
